Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jul 2016)

Infection with Possible Novel Parapoxvirus in Horse, Finland, 2013

  • Niina Airas,
  • Maria Hautaniemi,
  • Pernilla Syrjä,
  • Anna Knuuttila,
  • Niina Putkuri,
  • Lesley Coulter,
  • Colin J. McInnes,
  • Olli Vapalahti,
  • Anita Huovilainen,
  • Paula M. Kinnunen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2207.151636
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 7
pp. 1242 – 1245

Abstract

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A horse in Finland exhibited generalized granulomatous inflammation and severe proliferative dermatitis. After euthanization, we detected poxvirus DNA from a skin lesion sample. The virus sequence grouped with parapoxviruses, closely resembling a novel poxvirus detected in humans in the United States after horse contact. Our findings indicate horses may be a reservoir for zoonotic parapoxvirus.

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